The Young Athlete

Sports and young athletes:
Young athletes have special needs. Because their bodies are growing, they often require different coaching, conditioning, and medical care than more mature athletes.

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons,statistics show an increased popularity of sports among young people:

• 50 percent of boys and 25 percent of girls between the ages of eight and 16 compete in organized sports programs sometime during the year.
• 75 percent of junior high schools and middle schools have competitive interscholastic sports programs.
• there are 32 percent male and 27 percent female high school students competing in sports -- 7,000,000 high school students participating.
• millions more young people compete and participate in physical education classes, church and community intramural programs, and other recreational athletic activities.

Special needs for young athletes:
It is important to remember that the growing athlete is not just a smaller version of anadult. There are differences in coordination, strength and stamina between a young person and an adult. In young athletes, bone-tendon-muscle units, growth areas within bones and ligaments, experience uneven growth patterns, leaving them susceptible to injury. Also, different children grow at different rates depending on their genetic makeup, as well as diet, environment, and interest level. A taller or larger child may not have any more strength, speed, or athletic ability than a smaller child.

Elementary school students may be less likely to suffer from severe injury because they are smaller and slower than older athletes. When they collide or fall, the forces on their musculoskeletal systems are usually not enough to cause injury. High school athletes, however, are bigger, faster, stronger and capable of delivering tremendous forces in contact sports.

Coaches have a responsibility in developing young athletes and should watch for early signs of physical problems, such as pain or limp. Coaches may have more difficulty spotting less severe injuries, because the pain is often more manageable and the athlete may try to ignore it.

Coaches and parents should provide protection for the young athlete through proper protective gear, conditioning, prompt treatment of injuries, and rehabilitation programs. Conditioning programs can make the young athlete physically fit by improving muscle strength, endurance, flexibility, and cardiorespiratory fitness.